Congress of Aboriginal Peoples celebrates breakthrough Political Accord with the federal government

December 5, 2018 (Ottawa, ON) – The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples’ National Chief, Vice-Chief and Board of Directors joined in celebration today for the signing of a renewed Political Accord with the federal government. The Accord has been the subject of negotiations with government over the past year. Today’s signing marks a renewed relationship and way forward for the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) and Canada to work in cooperation.

“Today’s signing of the CAP-Canada Political Accord is a breakthrough for our people,” said National Chief Robert Bertrand, “for the first time, we have an agreement with government that recognizes the Supreme Court of Canada’s CAP Daniels decision and sets out a path toward implementation”.

For 47 years CAP has advocated as the national voice of off-reserve status and non-status Indians, Métis, and Southern Labrador Inuit – Indigenous peoples across Canada who are often the most disenfranchised and marginalized populations.

In 2016, CAP won a landmark victory in the Supreme Court of Canada’s unanimous decision in CAP Daniels v. Canada, which confirmed that Métis and non-status Indians fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction and fiduciary duty. The decision affirmed that Métis and Non-Status Indians are “Indians” under section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867.
The CAP Daniels decision also confirmed previous case law that “Canada’s Aboriginal peoples have a fiduciary relationship with the Crown”. The fiduciary relationship between the Crown and Aboriginal peoples includes Métis and Non-Status Indians. The CAP-Canada Political Accord acknowledges that the CAP Daniels decision contributes to increased clarity with respect to federal government jurisdiction in relation to Métis and Non-Status Indians.

As stated in the decision, “[Métis and non-status Indians] are deprived of programs, services and intangible benefits recognized by all governments as needed.” Through the signing of today’s Accord the federal government is acknowledging their responsibility to the off-reserve Métis, status and non-status Indians, and Southern Inuit Indigenous Peoples. The government has committed to working with CAP to develop a path forward by supporting the participation of the Congress and its provincial affiliates in matters related to the rights, interests and needs of their constituents.
CAP’s National Chief Robert Bertrand and Vice-Chief, Kim Beaudin, were signatories to the agreement along with the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations.
“This is a great step forward in our fight for recognition from the federal government for our people”, said Vice-Chief Beaudin, “we have been excluded for too long and with this Accord we’ll hold the government to account to work with our off-reserve community.”

“Today, we celebrate this achievement. The next step will be for the government to come to the table to plan and deliver for our people”, concluded Chief Bertrand, “on this momentous day for CAP and our constituency of off-reserve Indigenous people, I wish to acknowledge and recognize the tireless work of our Board of Directors and negotiations team in reaching this final agreement”.
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The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the national voice representing the rights, interests and needs of Métis, status and non-status Indians, and Southern Inuit Indigenous People living off-reserve. Today, over 75% of Indigenous people live off-reserve.